A seven-foot bronze statue of world-renowned abolitionist, orator and statesman Frederick Douglass was unveiled in the U.S. Capitol's Emancipation Hall. The statue stands next to the marker dedicated to the slaves who built the Capitol.

Born a slave in 1818, Douglass rose to become the most influential African-American of the 19th century. "Instead of condemning the nation that made him a slave, he embraced its stated principles and used them as a sword to try to free others," said Vice President Joe Biden in remarks delivered at the unveiling ceremony.

Douglass, added House Speaker John Boehner, "set an example for humanity that is unmatched."
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(Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)